Once in a Lifetime Take Two
by LittleMoonLover
Summary: Azula has escaped her imprisonment and Fire Lord Zuko has called upon Avatar Aang and the rest of their friends to recapture her. But Zuko has secrets that he's never told anyone and soon Katara learns them all, changing their relationship forever. Re-write of my original story. Zutara. Rated M.
1. A Fresh Start

**Hello everyone! So for the longest time I have wanted to rewrite this fic that I wrote in 2012 (Five years ago!) and really do the story some justice and fix some of it's cringier moments. It was definitely a trip reading my own writing, as I tend to avoid that as much as possible, and just to see how far I've come as a writer in five years. This will definitely be a more fleshed out version of the original and I will hopefully end up with something that I really love.**

 **I will most likely be leaving the original up permanently so you can see the difference. I think it's very important to show writers, especially new writers that you will grow with time and even if you think your stories are silly that you always have room to grow.**

 **Here is the link to the original story if you are curious:** **s/8005828/10/Once-in-a-Lifetime**

 **Anyways, without further ado, here is Once in a Lifetime; Take Two**

* * *

 **1**

 _Maximum Security Prison, Located in Unknown Location in Fire Nation, Approximately Three Years after the Great War._

Prison doors rattled shut for the night, their inhabitants settling down in their uncomfortable cots. Guards walked by counting off prisoners and making sure everyone was accounted for.

"Hall twenty-three is all present and accounted for!" He called up to the guards in their office. With a quick flick of his wrist he extinguished all of the lanterns that lit the hall before stepping into the main hallway, the thick metal door closing behind him and locking the prisoners in for the night.

They had finished with all of the normal prisoners for the night and had only one more to check on.

"I don't suppose I can convince you to do the count on the special prisoner?" He asked one of his friends, not looking forward to his next task.

"Yeah right." Scoffed one of his buddies "I'm still growing back my eyebrows from my rounds last month. It's your turn."

With a sigh the guard joined the five others who were on Special Prisoner duty that night.

"Let's get this over with." He grumbled and they set off as a group, heading down into the depths of the prison. They went down five flights of stairs until the air around them grew damp and cold.

"You'd think with all this damp that she wouldn't be able to use her bending." One of the guards remarked, holding his lamp up higher so that they could see into the cavern that they'd just entered.

"You all know that's not the case so be careful." Remarked the first guard.

The cavern was a domed shape, rocky stalagmites hanging down from the ceiling and dripping water down onto the group of guards. An underground river ran off to one side, further dampening their surroundings. They had moved the prisoner here a month before when she'd escaped from their solitary confinement and had nearly gotten away.

In the middle of the room was a large metal box that was heavily padded, inside they knew they'd find her sitting in the middle of her box-prison with a straight jacket made of heavy metal chains. Even then it wasn't enough.

"Do you have the prisoner's medicine?" One of the guards asked another and he held up a syringe filled with a yellow liquid.

"Good. Let's get this over with-it's poker night."

It took two guards to push the metal door open and the rest peered inside. She sat in the middle of the cell, her face illuminated by the bioluminescent crystals that ringed her cage. The guard with the lantern quickly blew it out so that the flame couldn't be used against them.

"Good evening Azula." the lead guard said, "Time for your sleepy juice."

She was covered in chains from her feet to her neck but even so a low chuckle came from her throat. That chuckle turned into a full throaty laughter. It was the same as it always was but it still made the guards completely uncomfortable.

"Give her her medicine." The lead guard said, ready to head back upstairs into the light.

The guard with the syringe approached Azula and knelt next to her. "Ready Azula?" he asked and her grin widened. Suddenly the chains were falling away from her body and she was standing, cracking her wrists.

"Thanks babe." She said, giving the guard a pat.

"What the hell?" the lead guard took a surprised step back.

But before they could do anything else the cell was engulfed in flames, burning the guards. They ran around the cavern on fire, throwing themselves onto the ground or into the river to put themselves out.

By the time that the commotion was heard and dozens of guards had rushed down the flight of stairs, Azula was gone.

* * *

 _Southern Water Tribe, Two Weeks Later_

"Katara!" Sokka whined as he followed his sister around the tent, holding up yet another pair of ripped trousers. "Please fix the hole?"

"Nope." Katara said as she put away this and that around their tent "Remember last week when you made that stupid comment about how 'men fight and don't sew'? Well I think it's about time you learned." She left the tent then, a basket of herbs hitched onto her hip and her braid twisting in the chilly arctic air.

Sokka turned to Suki, who was finishing up her breakfast, "Suki?" He asked hopefully, holding the pants out to his girlfriend.

Suki finished her tea and stood, placing a kiss on his forehead "I agree with Katara. You should know how to sew your own pants up. If you need help learning I'd be glad to help."

She left the tent then, leaving Sokka complaining about frostbite on his private parts.

Suki joined Katara by the fire where she was drying the herbs by placing them on a flat rock close to the fire. Two boards were placed on either side so that the wind wouldn't pick up the fragile leaves or blow them into the fire.

"You okay Katara? You seem a bit off this morning." Suki sat next to her, butting the other woman's shoulder with her own.

"I'm fine, just going a little stir crazy here." Katara held her hands out to the fire, enjoying the warmth that pricked her palms "Aang's off having adventures and we're here doing nothing. Well not nothing we have been driving Sokka nuts all winter."

The two girls shared a conspiratorial grin.

"Well we couldn't have joined him."

"You could have. Things haven't been the same since we tried the whole 'dating' thing." Katara bit her lower lip. She and Aang had tried to be together after the Great War, but every time she kissed him it got less and less romantic and more like she was kissing her own brother. Maybe it was because she had spent so much time mothering him and taking care of him that she couldn't see him that way. She didn't know. But she'd ended it the year before and things had never quite gone back to normal since then.

"It'll all work out after Aang is done with all his growing pains." Suki assured Katara, Aang had turned fifteen that year and spent most of his time brooding and just generally being a pain when he was around.

"I hope so." Katara replied glumly, fortunately she didn't have to think about it for very long because one of the children of the tribe was running up to them.

"Master Katara." The little girl said out of breath as she jumped into Katara's arms.

"What is it Lilah?" Katara asked, brushing sweaty strands of hair out of the girl's face.

"Fire nation soldiers are at Grangrans."

Katara stood, apprehension filling her before she shook herself. The fear of the Fire Nation was still a knee jerk reaction for the Southern Water Tribe, herself included.

"It's ok Lilah don't worry." She said and sent the girl off to get everyone inside, just in case.

She exchanged a worried glance with Suki before they hurried to Grangran's tent, where they found the old woman standing in front of a group of Fire Nation soldiers.

"Grangran is there a problem?" Katara asked, stepping in front of the old woman and glaring at the Fire Nation soldiers who shifted uncomfortably under her icy stare.

"No dear, they were just looking for you." Grangran gave her a comforting pat.

One of the soldiers stepped forward and saluted her, "Master Katara, we've come with a letter from Fire Lord Zuko."

From Zuko? Katara frowned, he normally would send letters via carrier pigeons. "Why didn't he just send one of the birds?" She asked and the soldier jumped to answer her.

"The birds run too high of a risk of being intercepted."

"Intercepted…?"

"Read the letter and you will understand why, Ma'am." He held out a rolled scroll that was sealed with a red wax bearing the signet of the Fire Lord.

She broke the seal and unrolled it and began to read:

 _Katara,_

 _I am sorry that I could not send this news faster via carrier pigeon. But this information is completely secret and must not be intercepted by anyone outside of our inner circle. Azula escaped from her prison last night and I need for you and Sokka to join me in the Fire Nation in order to recover her. I fear that she is amassing another army to overthrow the current Fire Nation Government-and in turn begin another war._

 _You of all people know that this cannot happen again. I hope you will come and help me._

 _I have sent a similar letter to the Avatar as I have heard that he is no longer in the Southern Water Tribe with you._

 _Zuko._

Katara stood for a moment, her chest hurting. She'd wanted adventure but she hadn't wanted to fight in another war. War brought too much sorrow and bloodshed. But Zuko had asked her and that meant that he trusted her judgement.

"We will wait for you on the ship and will leave by sunfall tonight." The same soldier who had handed her the letter said and the soldiers marched away back to the ship in formation.

"So I take it we're leaving?" Suki asked as they hurried back to the tent, where they found Sokka painstakingly attempting to patch the hole in his pants. Unfortunately his stitches were so crooked that half of the hole was still exposed.

Katara had to bite her lip from laughing as she pulled three packs from their spot in the corner. "Come on Sokka we need to pack." She said as she tossed a pack to Suki.

"What? Why?" Sokka asked as he pulled on his mangled trousers.

Katara handed him the letter as she pulled their Fire Nation clothing out of a cedar chest. She wondered if the clothing would still fit her as she'd grown curvy over the last few years, but pushed that thought away telling herself she would let the clothes out on the ship.

"Man when something goes wrong why do they always have to call us?" Sokka asked but was already gleefully picking out which weapons he'd take with them.

The sound of something heavy landing outside of their tent stopped their packing.

Sokka looked at Suki and Katara, "That sounds like-"

"Appa!" Katara exclaimed as she scrambled out of the tent to greet the white sky bison who seemed just as excited to see her.

"I figured you guys would need a ride to the Fire Nation that was fast than some silly boat." A voice deeper than she remembered called from the saddle.

"Aang!" Sokka waved as the air around them whipped until Aang was standing in front of them grinning.

He'd grown taller in the last six months since she'd last seen him, so when he gave her an awkward hug her head was just underneath his chin.

Luckily the awkwardness of the situation was over quickly as Sokka was groaning about Aang's sudden growth spurt, "That is totally unfair!" groaned Sokka, who at nineteen years old was half a head shorter than Aang, "I'm four years older than you, four! How can you already be taller than me."

Aang shrugged "I hadn't really noticed."

Sokka looked like he was about to say something else but Suki cut him off with a quick kiss, "Count yourself lucky that I like short guys." She said sweetly and Sokka gratefully hugged her and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"So you've come to get us?" Sokka asked, his earlier complaints completely forgotten.

"Yep, I was closer to the Fire Nation so the news reached me first. I would have been here sooner but I had to make a pit stop at the Earth Kingdom to pick up Toph.

"Toph is here?" Katara asked excitedly, she hadn't seen the earth bender in over a year and half.

"Uh… sort of." Aang said sheepishly as he watched Katara scramble up Appa only to have to dodge a bottle that came flying past her head, "She's kind of drunk right now."

Katara climbed into the saddle to find Toph slumped against the side with a bottle of sangi sake gripped in her hand. "What happened?"

"We hit some turbulence while flying and she apparently brought a stash of sake with her to cope." Aang said from the ground.

"Hey," slurred Toph with a grin "It's sugar queen! Long time no see!" She giggled at her own joke as she slumped towards Katara who deftly caught her.

"Man you've grown!" The blind girl giggle as she reached out to touch Katara's chest "Especially in this area."

Katara's cheeks burned but she couldn't help but laugh at the other's antics. Toph herself had grown, she had gotten taller though she would still be the shortest of the group and her shiny black hair had been cut to hand just above her shoulders instead of being contained in her hair band. She was already dressed in comfortable green pants and a shirt and of course was barefoot.

"Uh-oh." Toph said, interrupting their reunion as she leaned over the side of the saddle and violently threw up.

"Man Toph," Sokka joked as he lifted Suki up so she could grab the side of the saddle and pull herself in "You just got here and you are already throwing up, that must be a record."

"Only because I smelled that stench you call cologne, snoozles." Toph replied sweetly before slumping down into an alcohol induced sleep.

Katara laid her down and jumped down from Appa to finished throwing their packs onto the sky bison. By the time they'd finished the entire village had gathered to say goodbye.

"Don't you worry about those soldiers," Grangran said as she enveloped her grandchildren in a hug "I'll let them know you decided to take the 'express route'."

"Thanks Gran." Katara said squeezing the old woman tightly, she couldn't shake the feeling that she wouldn't be seeing the old woman for a long time and almost didn't want to let go.

"Go my dear, go take care of things-we will all still be here for you when you return."

Katara wiped at her wet eyes before following Sokka up and into the saddle. They waved to everyone as Appa jumped into the air. Once they were above the clouds Sokka held up the Sake bottle.

"To Team Avatar! Coming to save the day-as usual!" He toasted before draining the bottle.

"You're going to regret that later." Aang called over his shoulders.

"Probably." Sokka agreed, but was already digging through Toph's bag for another bottle of sake. "But hey you don't leave to save the world every day!"

* * *

 **-LittleMoonLover-**


	2. The Journey

**The relationship between Aang and Katara definitely has a lot of growing pains attached to it, especially when one still feels a certain sense of romance towards one and the other's feelings have evolved in a different way like you will see with Aang and Katara. There is a certain level of being a 'grown-up' that definitely puts a block between the two of them. When I originally wrote this I wrote Aang as a very immature individual, but rewriting it I definitely painted him in a more mature light-but at the same time not being able to understand Katara's disconnect.**

* * *

 **2**

"We've been flying for hours." Toph complained, she had woken up earlier that day hung-over and looking for more Sake which Sokka had finished off and was taking a nap of his own with his head cradled in Suki's lap.

"We are trying to get to the Fire Nation as fast as possible." Aang reminded her patiently and she grumbled an unintelligible response to that.

Katara wasn't listening as she was busy teaching Suki how to knit without much success.

"And then you… no Suki that isn't right." She said and Suki groaned, tossing her lumpy blue sock away and staring enviously at the orange had that Katara was working on.

"Is that for Aang?" She asked and watched Aang sit up a little straighter as he tuned into their conversation.

"Yes, I'm making something for everyone. I've heard that the Fire Nation gets chilly enough for them but not chilly enough for our thick water tribe clothes. I figured these would make good Winter Solstice gifts for everyone." She opened her pack and pulled out a purple hat and held it out to Suki who took it gratefully and placed a blue one over Sokka's sleeping face.

"I'm not wearing a stupid hat." Toph grumped from her seat and Katara smiled.

"I figured you would say that so I made these." She placed a pair of green ear muffs over the younger girl's ears.

"... they'll do." Toph said gruffly though Katara knew that she was secretly pleased.

"I'm just glad I'm able to give them to everyone in person. I thought I'd have to try and send them via carrier pigeon to you." Katara smiled, glad that they were all going to be together again despite the circumstances.

"Is this for Zuko?" Suki asked as she held up a crimson scarf.

"Yes, I thought that Zuko probably wouldn't want a hat to mess up his fancy Fire Lord top knot, so this was my solution."

Suki groaned "How are you so good at this stuff? I've been practicing with you for three years and I can barely sew." She looked pointedly down at Sokka's pants, which she'd tried to fix earlier but ended up making it worse. The patch flapped in the wind, exposing Sokka's dark skin underneath. "How am I supposed to mend clothes for a whole family?"

"Our kids will freeze!" Sokka slurred, half-asleep and Suki whacked him upside the head, sending him back to sleep.

"Don't worry Suki, it will get easier-especially if you and Sokka work together on the mending you two will be able to do it. Your kids may freeze but at least they don't have to worry about being in danger." She reminded the other woman with a grin, "If anyone tries to mess with your family they will be very sorry."

Later, after Suki had fallen asleep next to Sokka and Katara had thrown a wool blanket over them she finished off the orange hat and moved to join Aang at the front of Appa's saddle.

She put it on his bald head and he turned to give her a grateful smile, "Thanks Katara, it's warm."

"Your welcome." She watched the night sky around them for a moment before turning to Aang. "Aang I'm-"

"I'm not ready to talk about that just yet." Aang said cutting her off.

Katara bit her lower lip, a little hurt, "Fair enough." She finally said and told herself she would bring it up later. They sat in silence for a few moments before Katara changed the subject.

"Can you believe that we are doing this again?" She asked, letting her worry about getting into the thick of a battle bleed through.

"Yes, I can. Darkness will always find it's way back into the world no matter how many times peace is achieved." Aang said, staring off into the night.

Katara was taken aback at how grown-up he sounded. Where was the boy that needed her to take care of him?

"You'd better get some sleep." Aang said, "It'll be another day or two before we reach the Fire Nation."

"Okay." Katara said, wondering if they would ever get back to that point of trust that they'd had before. "Wake me up if you need me to take over steering Appa for a little bit so you can get some sleep."

"Will do."

* * *

Aang couldn't keep himself from looking over his shoulder to watch Katara sleep. He had thought that six months had been enough time to help the hurt that he felt over the fact that they were no longer romantically linked.

She was his first love and he couldn't help but love her still, she had been right that he at times treated her more like a mother than his equal.

"What are you thinking about?" A voice piped up from behind him nearly making him jump. He turned to see Toph feeling her way up to sit next to him.

"Nothing." Aang blushed furiously, embarrassed by it despite the fact that she couldn't see it.

"Yeah, right. You sure it's not about the pretty water bender sleeping behind us?"

Aang was about to deny it but instead sighed, "She's different now." He finally admitted, and Toph chuckled.

"Of course she's different. She's an adult and we are still kids."

"I don't feel much like a kid." Aang muttered.

"Neither do I, but that fact that we are is still undeniable."

"When did you get so wise?"

"I've always been wise, twinkle toes, you just never listen."

She left after that crawling back to cuddle up to Katara's warmth and sticking her tongue out in Aang's general direction before falling asleep, leaving Aang with his thoughts.

If he acted more like an adult would Katara see him as someone she would want to be in a relationship with? Aang frowned as he steered them away from a patch of storm clouds. It might work. He would have to try.

* * *

Katara woke up coughing, smoke was clogging her lungs and a glance at Sokka, Suki and Toph showed that they too were having trouble breathing. That only lasted for a moment though as Aang stood up in the saddle and with a few deft movements cleared a sphere of air around them.

Katara finished clearing her lungs of smoke before asking; "What was that?"

"That was smog from the city of Semun-Rah. It's one of the industrial cities on the outskirts of the Fire Nation. We didn't pass through here when we originally travelled to the Fire Nation because of the smog-but this is the fastest route to the capital."

"You can't even see the city from up here, the smog is so thick." Suki gasped as she looked over the side of Appa.

"This can't be good for those who live in the city." Katara said thinking about the slight burning in her chest. It must be that way all the time for the people who lived below.

"No. It's not." Aang stood, making a snap decision. He snapped open his glider and swooped off of Appa's back, twirling through the air and gathering the smog that lurked over the city into a black ball.

He sent it towards the forest in the mountains, "The trees should clean up that smog." He said as he landed lightly back in the saddle.

Below the city was now visible and people were peeking out of their homes, surprised by the sun. Once they spotted Appa they began to wave their thanks, realizing the Avatar was the one who had cleared the smog out of their city.

"The smog will return by the end of the day," Aang said as he waved back at them "But at least today they can have a day of sunshine and fresh air."

"That was a nice thing of you to do." Katara smiled at Aang as she waved down at the people below, she didn't see Aang's ears turn red as he turned and spurred Appa along.

"Next stop," He called over his shoulder as Appa sped away from the city, "The Fire Nation capital!"

* * *

 **-LittleMoonLover-**


	3. Reunion

**In the original this was over the course of three different chapters and was written a bit erratically. But going through it this time I consolidated and moved events around to kind of make a more sensible version of the story progression. If you are comparing the two side-by-side you will definitely see this but if you are just reading this for the first time then you won't notice it.**

 **I'm not sure if this commentary helps or hurts your reading of this story, I just enjoy rambling-something that hasn't changed since I first wrote this story!**

* * *

 **3**

"Whoa," Sokka exclaimed as they neared the Fire Lord's palace "Zuzu had definitely prepared a warm welcome for us."

What seemed like the entire Fire Nation's court was assembled on the expansive warm marble steps of the palace. Zuko stood at the bottom of the steps, dressed in Fire Nation finery with a perfectly coiffed topknot. Katara wasn't used to such formality concerning Zuko so she was instantly nervous.

"Sokka, make sure to mind your manners. Don't tease Zuko in front of his courtiers. Aang come here, let me straighten your robes." She said as she smoothed her hair.

"I'm fine." Aang said, as he avoided her hands "You don't need to mother me."

Katara didn't have time to be hurt by his comment because she turned towards Toph. "Don't touch me sugar queen."

"At least let me run a brush through your hair really quick." She wrestled the girl over to her and ran a brush through her hair so that it wouldn't stick up in all different directions anymore.

"Thats enough," Toph said slapping blindly at her hands "Any more and I will shove you off of this bison and you will have to explain that to the entire court."

Katara stepped back and let Suki retuck her formal water-tribe robes back in, she'd changed into them after they'd entered the outskirts of the island.

"I always mind my manners." Sokka was complaining to Suki as Appa landed on the marble in front of Zuko.

"Hush or I'll make you sleep outside tonight." Suki replied and Toph gagged.

"You two sleep in the same room? Gross." But she quit talking when she could almost feel Katara's glare burning into the side of her face.

"Momo." Aang called and the lemur popped out of one of the saddle bags, yawning.

"He's been here the whole time?" Sokka asked surprised.

"Of course he has. He's just been so exhausted since mating season just ended for him. Re-populating an entire species is no easy task." Aang said as Momo landed on his shoulder.

"Sounds so awful for him." Sokka said rolling his eyes causing the group to giggle despite their current situation.

Servants rushed forward from the wings to help the group off the bison but were quickly glared off by everyone. Aang, with a swipe of his hands, lifted them all into the air and set them deftly down onto the marble so that none of them would have to been seen scrambling down on their own.

The court exclaimed in wonder at that and whispers erupted in their groupings. Aang hadn't spent too much time in the Fire Nation since the Great War, so many of the courtiers had no experience with him or the rest of Team Avatar.

"Welcome." A familiar voice greeted them as General Iroh detached himself from the group to Zuko's right. He enveloped Katara in a hug, swinging her from side-to-side as she laughed.

"Hello Uncle Iroh." She greeted him with a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Katara it is good to see such a pretty face again, you've grown since the last time that I saw you!" He moved to hug everyone else before turning to his nephew, "Zuko! Come down here and say hello, there is no need for the stuffy Fire Lord air-you know each other for goodness sake!"

Zuko moved towards them, his shoulder's still stiffly erect. He came to stand in front of Katara as Iroh finished hugging everyone.

"Lord Zuko." Katara said formally.

"Master Katara." Zuko replied and they stared at one another until a grin broke out over Katara's face and she stepped forward and enveloped the Fire Lord in a fierce hug.

That broke the formality of the situation soon everyone was talking and hugging much to the surprise of the Fire Lord's court.

"Zuko you've gotten taller too-no fair!" Exclaimed Sokka as he measured himself up to Zuko.

"Iroh about that tea you sent me…" Suki said as she chattered on about some strain of Oolong or another.

"The ground feels so nice, I never want to fly again." Toph groaned as she wiggled her toes on the warm marble.

"We've missed you Zuko." Katara said as she pulled away from the hug.

"And I have missed you, Katara." Zuko said staring down at her until she broke eye contact, suddenly uncomfortable.

Toph elbowed Zuko in the ribs "Have you missed me too Sparky?" She grinned knowingly at him and could feel his embarrassment.

"Of course Toph, not a day goes by where I don't wish I could use your honesty in my court." He hugged the shorter girl.

While they were getting reaquainted Iroh was the first to look back at the people of the court who were whispering to one another disdainfully as they watched the display of affection. With a sour look he tapped his nephew's shoulder.

"I suppose it's time to introduce them to the court."

"I suppose." Zuko agreed, grimacing.

"Members of my most esteemed court." He began, shifting back into the Fire Lord and their leader. "I'd like to introduce to the court, a group of people who were instrumental in dismantling the previous regimes and bringing prosperity and honor back to the Fire Nation."

He moved over to Aang, "This is Avatar Aang, the legendary warrior who fought against Fire Lord Ozai and master of the four elements. He is here as an emissary of peace and to spend some much needed time in the fire nation." Aang, much to Katara's chagrin, couldn't help but pull out his marbles and spin them between his hands wiggled his eyebrows at the court.

"Next, we have Master Katara. One of the most experienced water benders in the world. She is one of the Avatar's teachers and a master healer. She saved my life more than once and is a close friend to me and should be treated as such." Katara bowed to the court, placing a one fist in an open palm in a respectful water bender's bow.

"After her there is Master Toph, the Avatar's earth bending teacher and creator of the art of metal bending. She is smart and quick and you would do best to stay on the good side of her temper."

"Yo." Toph greeted the court with a saucy grin.

"Finally we have Sokka, an experienced tactician and warrior of the Southern Water tribe and next to him is Suki, the former leader of the Kiyoshi warriors."

He turned to address the court full-on but was interrupted by an irritated grunt. Appa stepped forwards and shook his massive head, angry at not being introduced.

"Pardon me," Zuko apologized to the great beast "This is Avatar Aang's spirit animal, Appa and this is his lemur: Momo." Zuko's introductions settled the animals and he was able to turn back to the court.

"This group is to be treated with the utmost respect. They are honored guests and I hope that you will engage them in friendly conversation."

The courtiers sniffed but filed back into palace and to their opulent lives.

"So…" Sokka said once they were alone. "When do we eat?"

* * *

They were placed in a suite with four rooms that all faced a main center room that had a long sofa and a few soft arm chairs.

"This used to be the children's wing," Zuko explained as they explored the room, "But I figured it would suit your needs perfectly.

They had gotten Appa settled in the stables and had headed into the palace. Katara had never spent much time inside the Fire Lord's palace. She had spent one night inside of it the night before Zuko's coronation and had left the next day right after. It was a beautiful place full of warm, sun-lit gardens and ponds full of turtle ducks. The halls had purple and orange silk drapes that were used in favor of doors most of the time in order to get to the gardens.

Warm marble with golden veins was used throughout and it curved softly. There were no sharp edges in the Fire Lord's palace.

"This room will be Aang's," He opened the door showing a simple room with warm yellow draperies and a soft, but modest bed.

"Toph's is next door," This room was just as simple as Aang's but there were lots of potted plants sprinkled throughout the room.

"Sokka, Suki, this is yours." The room was situated a crossed from Aang and Toph's and was outfitted with a large bed that felt as comfortable as it looked.

"And finally Katara this will be your room." The room was gorgeous, blue silks were draped everywhere and a large fountain gurgled in the corner making her feel instantly at home.

"Thank you." She breathed as she ran her fingers along the silky blue bedspread.

"I thought you'd like it." He said as he leaned in the doorway, everyone else was already in their rooms unpacking their things so it was just the two of them. Katara hadn't been alone with Zuko since before his coronation and it felt odd to do so now.

"Dinner should be served in about an hour." Zuko stood up straight, probably realizing what she had.

"We'll be there."

He turned to leave and she couldn't help herself "Zuko?" She called and he turned to look at her, his golden eyes meeting her blue.

"It's nice to see you again. Even if the circumstances are less than stellar."

Zuko looked taken aback by her admission "I was just thinking the same thing."

* * *

 **-LittleMoonLover-**


	4. Sake Night

**This is definitely one of the more embarrassing chapters to re-read for this story. I was sixteen when I wrote this story and was just exploring writing about things that weren't exactly PG-13. In the original I was very... blunt about what was going on and as I've gone through the years I'm learned the art of building a relationship. Luckily with Zuko &Katara they already have a huge foundation built for them I just need to give it that push. But that definitely will come at a different part of the story this time. Like I said this is the story that I wrote, rewritten. There are some plot points that will be changed and tweaked. **

* * *

**4**

Dinner was made up of several varieties of meats, ranging from simply to incredibly spicy. Sokka was trying every meat, drinking water and then trying the next one while Suki laughed at how red his face became.

They were all sitting at the head table near Zuko, Aang was on his right and Iroh was on his left. Katara chose a seat next to Aang and was making sure to keep the alcohol that was being passed around away from him and Toph who sat on her other side.

"No fair sugar queen." Toph pouted as she ate her food.

"No alcohol in front of the court." She admonished the younger girl as she passed the jug back to the awaiting servant who she gave a friendly smile and received a hesitant one in return.

Katara shifted in her silky formal water tribe robes, they were of a shimmery blue material with silver embroidery etched onto the hem, she had let her hair out of it's braid and it flowed down her waist in soft fluffy waves. Sokka was wearing something similar while Suki and Toph had opted for more simple Earth Kingdom wear.

The court chattered around them, talking about anything and everything from the noblewoman who had gotten into a tiff with another noblewoman to the rising taxes on silks. The head table itself was relatively quiet, everyone content just to listen.

Sokka, of course, joined in on the gossip; "Did you guys hear that the Earth King's bear had cubs?" He slurped at a bowl of thick noodles with a relish that caused the noblewoman next to Suki to wince.

"The Earth King must be thrilled." Another noble from the table next to the head table remarked and soon the conversation turned towards the bear and it's shenanigans with Sokka inputting a joke here and there.

"I never would have thought that Sokka would be the social butterfly in my court." Zuko chuckled and Katara found herself laughing with him.

"Sokka is full of many surprises." She agreed and opened her mouth to say something else but was drawn into a conversation with the nobleman who sat on the other side of Toph.

Aang listened to her conversation intently as she laughed when the nobleman asked about her water bending training.

The slick feeling of jealously coated Aang's stomach and he found himself unable to finish his rice and steamed vegetables.

"Aang? Are you listening to me?" Zuko's voice cut through Aang's jealousy and he turned to the Fire Lord with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry I was a little distracted."

"I was just saying that we should have our own reunion with just our group in the suite later on. Dinner's like this exhaust me." Zuko repeated himself.

"Yeah, that sounds great." Aang agreed. He was happy that while everyone else was changing and growing up, that his friendship with the Fire Lord was still as strong as ever.

"Good I look forward to it." He said as his attention was turned away by Iroh whispering something in his ear.

After Iroh had finished Zuko stood and lifted his glass and the dining room went silent.

"Esteemed court." He began, "I am happy tonight to be reunited with allies of the Fire Nation and with friends. This is a blessing of fortune for the Fire Nation. May all our battles be won and our fires burn hot." The court repeated his phrasing, raising their glasses upwards.

* * *

"May all our battles be won and our fires burn bacon." Sokka intoned seriously and hour later as they all sat in the suite. He held a dusty bottle of alcohol aloft in a mock salute to Zuko who just rolled his eyes good naturedly.

Toph had been in the room for less than ten minutes when she found a loose floor tile and pried it up, revealing a cache of old dusty alcohol.

"That brings back memories." Boomed Iroh as he uncorked on of the bottles and took a nostalgic sips "My siblings and I hid these here when we were just teenagers."

Soon everyone was drinking and becoming louder and louder as Sokka and Iroh sang old war songs and Suki and Toph were debating some subject or another.

Katara had allowed them to pour her one small glass and was nursing it as she sat next to Aang and they laughed at the group's antics. Aang himself just drank a glass of juice.

Zuko had gone to sit out on the balcony a few minutes before and Katara kept glancing at the glass doors worriedly.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." She said setting her cup down on the table and heading for the doors.

Zuko had been sitting out on the balcony in the chilled night air, he had come outside after they had started to drink-not wanting anyone to feel uncomfortable drinking around the Fire Lord. It was something he'd become accustomed to over the past few years, people were friendly to him because he was the Fire Lord but were never comfortable enough to let their hair down around him.

"Mind if I join you?" Katara asked as she sat next to him, breathing in a few gulps of fresh air. "It's so peaceful out here."

"Be my guest." Zuko shifted so she could get comfortable. "It's getting pretty crazy in there isn't it?"

"Yes you should join us, you'd have more fun that way."

"No I… I shouldn't I'm the Fire Lord and I need to act like it."

"That is so silly," Katara rolled her eyes at him "Fire Lord or not you are still Zuko and we are still your friends. You should feel just as comfortable with us as you did on Ember Island. Remember?"

Zuko shrugged, he could always count on Katara to tell him the truth and nothing but the truth.

"You know, when you talk like that I see the girl you used to be. I wasn't expecting a diplomatic young woman to show up on my doorstep." He said with a teasing grin.

"And I wasn't expecting a stuffy Fire Lord." She shot back, nudging his shoulder with her own. "Though it's good to see some of my scrappy Zuko still in there."

Zuko dwelled longer on the word 'my' than he should have and he was caught off guard when Katara changed the subject.

"So how is Ursa?" She said asking about Zuko's mother. He'd found her the year after the final battle, alive and well and apologetic. They'd worked on fixing their relationship over the last two years though it was still a work in progress. She had, however, clicked with Katara at first sight. They'd only met a few times but Zuko knew that they routinely exchanged letters.

"She's doing well-she's on a trip in Ba Sing Sei right now but I know she's excited to see you on her return."

Katara smiled, pleased at his words "I'm excited to see her too." Ursa had always listened to her and Katara looked forward to the woman's letters. She had been one of the only ones that Katara was able to talk to about her growing problems with having a romantic relationship with Aang.

Katara leaned forward and pressed her forehead to the cool marble of the balcony. "Too much alcohol, eh?" Zuko grinned at her.

"Not really just a glass."

"You have always been weak to alcohol you know." He teased, tugging on a strand of hair playfully.

"I have not! Besides I'm not the one who ran through forest on Ember Island with Sokka's underwear on my head."

Zuko winced, "Touche." He laughed and his laughter made her laugh, and she leaned into him wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"I miss when we were that young. I've felt like I've been getting older and older the more I stay in the Southern Water tribe."

Zuko shifted so she could lean into him more comfortably. "Responsibility will do that to you. But remember we aren't that old at all."

"True that."

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, watching the stars twinkling above. Katara was filled with an odd sense of calm and comfort that she hadn't before and she turned to comment on it to Zuko when Sokka burst through the door.

"You guys won't believe what we just did." He giggled.

Katara shifted away from Zuko, blushing and not knowing why. "What did you do?" She asked, standing and brushing her robes off.

"Toph and I snuck something that wasn't juice into Aang's drink." Her brother said as he draped an arm over Zuko's shoulder and physically began to drag him back inside.

"You did what?" Katara asked incredulously as she pushed her way around Zuko and Sokka and gasped.

"Toph you put Aang down this instant!" She scolded, "Aang you put those marbles down before you hurt yourself!"

The sound of laughter filled the quiet night as Katara continued to scold the room's inhabitants.

* * *

 **-LittleMoonLover-**


	5. Strategy

**This is another big change from the original, I don't have a whole lot of commentary on it as I think that it speaks for itself.**

* * *

 **5**

"Oh my head." Aang groaned the next morning as he awoke on the couch.

"That is what happens when you drink alcohol." Katara said sternly from the table as she handed him a plate of bread and porridge. "Here, eat. I'm going to take a bath and the it's your turn because you stink my friend."

Aang took the plate grumbling as he squinted, trying to eat with his eyes closed but quickly failing.

Katara moved over to Toph's room which was completely dark and shook the girl who was snoring in the middle of her bed.

"Come on Toph, time to wake up." She chirped in a sing-song voice as she pulled the blanket away from Toph's body.

"Uhg, no screw you." The girl groaned and swatted at Katara who easily dodged the slaps.

"You stink. Let's go take a bath." She dragged Toph by her feet until the girl nearly fell off the bed. "Besides you'll like the bath."

Ten minutes later they were soaking in the large bath, it was a deep rocky tub that took up most of the room. Piping hot mineral water was piped from the wall from the depths of the palace.

Suki had joined them and was marvelling at the choice of soaps that they had been given to use.

"This one smells like some kind of spicy vanilla!" She held the open bottle out for Katara to sniff.

Toph, who had been grumpily sitting off to the side shoved her way in front of Katara. "Can you wash my hair?" She asked and Katara smiled, it was nice to see that despite their year apart the girl still very much acted like her little sister.

She went to work soaping up Toph's shoulder length hair with a soap that smelled of melons. She then lifted an orb of water from the tub and swirled it around Toph's head, lifting the hair and rinsing the soap from it.

"Why did you cut your hair?" Katara asked, remembering all the times that she'd done this and then braided Toph's previously knee length hair.

"It always got in the way and was a pain to wash without you." The girl replied gruffly as Katara lathered up her own hair.

"I see." Katara said as she began to rinse. "Do you want me to braid it anyways?"

"Uh-huh." Toph grunted her reply.

Katara made quick work of the girl's hair, making an intricate braid down the back of her head and bent the excess water out of it.

"Thank you." Toph said grudgingly as she went to towel off.

"Don't forget to use the lotion they provided, so your skin doesn't dry out." She called and heard Toph's 'whatever' from the other side of the door.

"As grumpy as she always is she definitely likes to be babied, huh?" Suki asked and giggled.

"She does indeed." Katara said as she soaped up her whole body before dunking deep in the water, enjoying the warm calm feeling that it gave her.

Suki left a few minutes later and Katara stayed to soak for an extra fifteen minutes, meditating as she floated in the water. When she finally left the water she was amazed at how pruney her body was. At home the water rarely stayed hot long enough for her to get a good soak in.

She dressed quickly and moved to braid her hair like she always did but as she looked in the mirror she decided against it. She left it framing her face, she was still surprised every time she looked in a mirror. Her face had lost it's baby fat and exposed high cheek bones that sat under blue eyes that didn't seem as big as they used to.

Her body, which had been quite frankly a bit boyish when she was fifteen, had softened and filled out and more than once when she travelled to the Northern Water tribe over the past few years she had noticed the stares of boys and men as she passed by.

"Are you ready Katara?" Suki's voice on the other side of the door distracted her from her perusal and she hurried to pull on the rest of her clothes. She was surprised that the boys were already done bathing and were dressed and waiting for her.

"What's on the agenda for today?" She asked as she joined them.

"We have a meeting with Zuko and his generals to discuss what to do about the situation." Aang said, "I don't think I need to tell you that this is top secret and we are acting as envoys of peace. No one outside of Zuko's closest advisors knows of the escape and we'd like to keep it that way."

Everyone turned and looked at Sokka who shrugged, "What? I know how to keep a secret. You guys have no faith in me!"

After they had finished eating their breakfast they headed as a group to the west wing of the palace where most of the business of the Fire Nation was done, they were led to a room with a large circular table with what looked like a map of the world on it.

"Welcome." Zuko said and his generals rumbled their own greetings.

"What are we looking at?" Aang said as he joined Zuko, looking down at the map. Five pins were placed randomly throughout.

"Azula was last seen at the border of the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, this sliver of land has no owner so there would be no one to turn her in."

"Are these pins all places that she's been seen since she escaped?" Sokka asked, frowning at the bored. Katara could see the wheels of his mind turning.

"They are."

"She doesn't have a pattern as to where she goes." Sokka said as he rounded the table "She seems to just be popping up at random."

"How are we supposed to figure out where she is going then?" Suki asked.

"Well what does that crazy princess want?" Toph asked, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived in the room. Everyone turned to look at her, waiting for her explanation. "What is she trying to do. If we figure that out then we can try to map where she needs to go and cut her off there."

Everyone paused for a moment before all speaking at once.

"Alright, alright enough!" Zuko raised his voice silencing the room "If we are going to talk then we will do it one at a time. Katara? You looked as if you wanted to say something."

Katara cleared her throat, uncomfortable with the attention "I was just asking where have there been reports of discontent since you took power? Not only that you should get in contact with the Northern and Southern water tribes along with the Earth Kingdom. There have to be people who aren't happy with the way the world is going."

"Good thinking, General Wan can you please see to it that all of our files are brought here and send messengers out to our ambassadors in the different cities and ask them as well."

He turned back to the map, staring at the pins. "I'm going to find you Azula and I'm going to throw you back into prison where you belong."

* * *

They pored over Fire Nation documents for the next few hours, putting pins on the map and figuring out where they would match up.

"This was an uprising of the military personnel after Ozai was overthrown. They were taken down and imprisoned." Sokka put a pin in the place where Azula had last been seen. "I would send a message to the governor of that province and ask if his prisoners are still there."

"How would Azula know about these things happening? She was in solitary confinement." Zuko asked, perplexed.

"She had to have had someone feeding her information from the outside." Katara mused as she added another pin to the map.

"I never knew there was so much discontent in the Fire Nation after I do power." Zuko sat back in his chair and rubbed his temples, clearly upset.

"Sir," one of the Generals stepped up "With all do respect, the majority of our people are happy with you being in power. The Fire Nation has not known peace like this in a long time-of course there are always those who are purists and believe that those of the Fire Nation should not mix with others and are more bloodthirsty. But they are all mostly in prison."

"Do you document these… purists?" Sokka asked, rubbing his chin.

"Yes," the General said sheepishly "We do. We try to watch their movements as well, just in case they try to plan an assassination."

Katara didn't like how easy it was for the General to talk about assassination, she didn't like the thought of anyone killing Zuko.

Sokka frowned at the map, "I'd bet my sword that Azula is going after these purists and coercing them to her side."

"General? Can you dig up your documents?"

"Yes it will take a few days as they are fairly spread out a crossed the Fire Nation."

"Do it."

"Yes sir."

* * *

 **-LittleMoonLover-**


	6. Secrets Revealed

**This is a chapter that I wanted to make better and help build their trust in one another in a different way than they had before. Trust between a friend/comrade is different from the trust between two people who are romantically linked. Along with this I really wanted to fine-tune a certain someone's place in the story which I didn't quite achieve in the original!**

* * *

 **6**

Zuko found Katara sitting in one of the gardens later on that afternoon, she'd disappeared after the meeting and hadn't been in the dining room for lunch. A quick question with his Chief of Staff, Chen Yu, told him that the water bender had ordered a simple sandwich for lunch.

"Out here all by yourself?" He asked as he settled against the trunk of the willow tree next to her, spreading his heavy robes out around him.

"You and I both seem to have that problem." Katara replied but gave him a welcoming smile. "It's nice to sit out here and think, sitting outside in the Southern Water Tribe like this and you're liable to get frostbite."

"I can imagine." Zuko agreed, leaning back and closing his eyes. He still had a headache from that morning and lunch had done nothing to remedy it.

Gentle fingers touched his temples, dampened slightly by water, drawing the pain out of his head. "You don't have to do that, you know." Zuko said, but they both knew he was grateful.

"I don't mind," Katara said, sending the water back into the pond and disturbing a group of turtle ducks that were making their way a crossed the water. "Though, I wish I could heal your scar for you."

"Is it ugly?" Zuko asked, trying to make it sound like a joke but failing.

"No. It's not that and you know it. It's a reminder of your father that you shouldn't have to have."

"It's a good reminder-of what I have to strive to be different from."

"I see." Katara pursed her lips and frowned at him. "You've already done that-become a different ruler than your father."

"Katara!" Suki called, they had entered the garden and had caught a glimpse of her through the willow reeds.

"Thanks for the talk." Katara said placing a feather-light kiss on Zuko's cheek as she stood and went to join them.

Zuko sat there for a moment, a hand pressed to his cheek before he shook himself out of his reverie.

"Whats going on?" Katara asked, noticing the packs that they carried.

"We've decided to go and investigate a few spots of interest in the country-side along with the spot that Azula was last seen at." Aang said holding her pack out to her.

"Actually," Zuko said joining them "Can I ask that Katara remain here? There is something that requires her specific skill-set that I need her to attend to?"

Everyone looked at Katara who shrugged "I don't mind staying here. I'd prefer here to sleeping outside."

Aang frowned at Katara, glancing between her and Zuko.

"Be careful you guys. Don't get yourself killed out there-I'm looking at you Sokka." Katara teased punching her brother in the shoulder.

"Hey! I resent that!"

* * *

After the group had flown away on Appa Katara turned to Zuko, still waving. "There is something that you haven't told me isn't there?"

Zuko waited a beat before replying "Yes."

Hurt blossomed in Katara's chest and she stepped away from him, "We are supposed to trust one another. How are we supposed to do that if you're keeping secrets from me."

"Like you told me you and Aang were no longer in a relationship?" He asked. He hadn't expected her to get so angry so quickly.

"Like you told me that you and Mai were no longer together?" She shot back, "Yeah I heard that one from Ty Lee."

Zuko blushed furiously thinking about his failed relationship that had gone up in flames a year and a half earlier. "That was none of your business." She raised an eyebrow at him and his blush deepened. "Fine. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

They stood in silence for a moment before Katara sighed, "I am not in a relationship with Aang because it was beginning to feel like I was more his mother than his girlfriend." She said finally, she hadn't told anyone but Ursa that-everyone else was too close to the situation to be objective.

"Mai left me." Zuko said plainly with a shrug.

"Why?"

"She said I couldn't give her what she needed and she's probably right." Zuko stared at the pond before clearing his throat "Anyways. Now that we've got that out of the way can I tell you what is going on?"

He gave her a pointed look and she blushed, realizing how off track that they'd gotten in the past five minutes. She'd nearly forgotten that he was just about to get to the point, "Sorry. I went a little overboard there."

"It's fine, you're right. You and I need to trust each other especially with what I'm about to show you. You can't tell Aang, the others or anyone about this." He took her hand and led her through the trees and to the palace wall, where she saw a small door that she hadn't seen before as it was painted white like the bleached palace walls.

Zuko produced a key from deep in his robes and opened the door, letting her step inside before him. They were in a small garden filled with fragrant flowers, the pond from the other side of the wall filtered underneath and turtle ducks swam through it happily. The light played oddly in the garden and a glance up surprised Katara as the garden was gapped by a large glass dome.

"Three years ago when I became Fire Lord and the staff changed the former Chief of Staff, a man named Si Yen came to me and confessed to me that there was a… special occupant in the castle…"

Zuko trailed off as the sound of yelling drew their attention to the small house that sat in the middle of the cabin. It was of the traditional style with paper doors and straw mats, Katara guessed at first glance.

"What do you mean by special occupant?" Katara asked as they neared.

"Well…" Zuko moved to open the door but it was thrown open before he could and a small bundle of yellow robes leapt from the depths of house. All Katara could see was a shock of white hair as Zuko was barrelled over.

"Brother!" a childish voice squealed as Zuko struggled to regain his footing.

"Katara, I'd like you to meet Hikari."

At the mention of her name the little girl straightened up and gave a formal bow, her white hair falling over her shoulder. "Greetings Mater Katara."

Katara turned to give Zuko a look of confusion and he continued on: "She's my little sister."

* * *

"Ursa and Ozai had another baby?" Katara asked a few minutes later, they were sitting on the porch of the house with their legs dangling over the edge and watching Hikari play in the garden with the servants.

"No. Hikari is my half-sister. She is the daughter of my father and a water bender named Serse."

"There was a water bender in the fire nation?" She asked with surprise.

"Yes. She was a captive of my fathers-she hailed from the Northern Water tribe apparently. She was captured by my father two years before the end of his reign and became pregnant about six months later. Hikari was born when we were fighting in the Northern Water Tribe."

Katara shot him a look and he nodded, "So she was born when Yue was killed?"

"I think so." Zuko still felt guilt over his actions in the Northern water tribe. "Her servants have been with her since she was born. They tell me that her mother was having trouble during labor and that she was praying to her gods to save her baby. Apparently when Hikari was born she was still and they didn't think she was breathing-Serse died a few moments later. They left to tell my father what had happened and when they returned Hikari was alive and well-except that her hair was white instead of black."

Katara sat, trying to take all of the information in and having trouble. "You're right. We can't tell anyone, especially Sokka. This would break him."

"I agree."

"But why do you need me? Why tell me this at all?"

"Because she's a waterbender Katara. She needs someone to teach her how to control it so that I can bring her out of this cage and present her to the world."

Katara watched the little girl play, she small for a five year old and whenever she would laugh Katara could see her blue eyes glitter in the filtered sunshine of the garden.

"It's also why we need to keep her away from Azula." Katara said, placing all of the puzzle pieces together, "Azula never liked to be upstaged by you, a sister would just annoy her to no end."

Zuko nodded and turned to her "Will you help me?" He gathered her hand in his own, his golden eyes pleading.

"Of course Zuko. Of course I'll help." He gave her hand a grateful squeeze, his shoulders slumping with relief.

"A water bending princess of the Fire Nation." She mused wonderingly, "I never thought I'd see the day."

* * *

 **-LittleMoonLover-**

 **This is the last of the chapters that I have re-written so far. I will probably be releasing these in spurts as I rewrite them over the week(s). I hope that you enjoy these, it's been fun seeing how my style has changed from sixteen year old me to twenty-one year old me.**

 **Thank you! Don't forget to leave a review!**


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